There are reports that people from Jaffna are suffering from virus fever known as chikungunya. There are reports that medical clinics in Jaffna are flooded with people suffering from this disease.

They stand in queues from morning to evening to get treatment. The medical personnel are unable to cope with this situation.

The reports also say that the patients are undergoing great difficulties. They are unable to get the necessary medicines. 4 Panadol tablets are sold at a price of Rs50 in private pharmacies. A large number of patients can’t afford to by them at such a high price.

The people of Jaffna are already suffering from several other problems. They don’t have enough food provisions. They don’t have employment opportunities. They are malnourished. In addition they now suffer from diseases. They have health problems.

The Health Ministry must take steps to keep the area clean and to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. The Ministry of Health must take immediate steps to dispatch medicines. Meanwhile there is a scarcity for medicines in Vaharai hospital.

There are difficulties in taking patients whose conditions are bad to the Batticaloa hospital. Permission is refused to transport patients in the intensive care unit to the Batticaloa general hospital. Therefore the problems of this people must be resolved on humanitarian grounds.

An English translation of the Editorial in Virakesari, a Tamil daily , based in Colombo

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